Oil can with center operating handle



Nov. 9, 1943. J, B. SWAN OIL CAN WITH CENTER OPERATING HANDLE Filed July 21, 194

JOHNB. SWAN,

Patented Nov. 9, 1943 UNITED on. CAN WITH CENTER OPERATING 1 HANDLE John B. Swan, Gladstone, Mich. V Application July 21, 1942, Serial No. 451,787

4; Claims.

This invention relates to an,oil can or oiler, with a center operating handle.

An object of this invention is the construction of a simple and eflicient oil can or oiler which is provided with a pivoted lever handle over the fixed handle of the container, whereby the device can be easily operated either by a right or lefthand person.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a valve device that is positioned close to the discharge end of the. spout of an oiler, whereby the oil flowing from the can can be efiiciently cut ofi promptly, thereby saving oil.

A further object of the invention is the production of an oil can which is easily operated, and which'will save oil, as well as being comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects. in view, my invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended, claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly view of the spout, showing the. valve device therein.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 44, Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5' is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the valve device.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6, Figure 5, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing, in which I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, I designates a container which is provided with a fixed handle 2. The container I is provided with a long spout 3; this spout comprises a long inner unit 4 and a short outer unit 5.

Within the container I and spout 3 is an airvent device 6, which device 6 is fully illustrated and specifically described in my co-pending application Serial Number 420,032 filed November 21, 1941.

A container tube 1 is extended through inner unit 4 of the spout 3 at 8; at point 8 said tube I is preferably soldered or otherwise suitably secured ineposition upon the spout. The inner end of tube, ,1 within the. innerunit 4 positioned in a spaced relation to the inner walls'ofunit 4,'js0. that oil within, containerl can pass freely the, inner endjofthejtube' I; On the, inner end of tube 1 is an enlarged shoulder ,3, which. should is provided with. an' inner flat face, I 0 upon, which face normally is seated a cone washer I'Ithatis preferably made of) 'yi'el'dable' ,material..suchf as leather or the like. This' cone washer I0, seals the tube T against any liquid, such. as oil}, passing. downtube'l to the outeratmosphere.-, Arelatively strong yet yieldable wire I2 extends. through tube. I, as well as through washer ,I'Lfand', is fixedly secured at, itsouter endi within a,lvalve head. I3. This head I3 is norrnally seated against valve seat I 4; seat I4 being fo'rmedin the inner end of externally threaded coupling It. ',The contiguous ends of units4. and 5 are; threaded Liipon coupling I5 as is clearly seen in Figure! fCoupling I5 is. provided with a. central passage filthroughwhich the oi1,of, the can may pass.

A metal cone cap 11 is mounted upon. wire I2 and rests against the :conewasher, II. One end of outer spring I8. is seated-on cone. cap I! as well as one end of inner spring I3. The ends ,of. springs I8 and'I'S opposite totliefends engaging cone cap I! bear'against. the fiatjinner end of valve head I3. Th'es'eTspringsproducean eificient result by causing the valve'headl3 to seat, to cut off the fiow ofoil, as soon, as the operator releasesor disengages the pivoted lever handle 20..

The leverfhandle. 2.0 "is provided with flanged edges 2| (see Fig. 4) which produce. an efiicient grip to be engaged, by the hand. This. lever handle is positioned alignmentwith and directly above. the fixed handle 2, whereby either a right-hand or left-hand person can quickly grasp the fixed handle 2 and manipulate the lever handle 20, thereby eliminating the necessity of two oil cans as has been heretofore required for a left-hand or right-hand operator.

The pivoted lever handle is mounted on pin 22 which extends through a sleeve 23; this sleeve 23 is integral with handle bracket 24. Bracket 24 is suitably secured to the inner unit 4 near container I. The outer end of wire I2 extends through aperture 25 of handle 20 and an eye 26 is formed on the wire I2, between the flanges 2|, and a cotter pin 21 extends through eye 26, securely fastening the wire I2 and handle 20 together.

A substantially V-shaped bracket 28 has its feet 29 fixedly secured to the inner unit 4 of spout 3 and on the outer .end of bracket 28 is an integral eye 30, through which eye 30 extends the container tube 1. The eye 30 and tube I are fixedly secured together as by soldering or welding, whereby the tube 1 is rigidly supported at its outer end upon spout 3.

In operation, when the operator presses downwardly upon the lever handle 20, this will cause wire l2 to be drawn outwardly, against the action of the doublespr'ings'. l8 and I9, whereuponthe valve head I3 is moved'away from its seat 14, thereby opening passage I6 to allow the oil to flow from the container through the spout. As

soon as the valve head It! is moved away iromof oil through the spout is obtained. The valve device, being placed near the discharge end of the spout, prevents waste of oil, because of the nearness to the end of the spout and instant action ofthe seating of ,the valve head, as soon as theoperator releases the lever handle, '20. This resultsin a great saving ofloil; The wire l2, whileof sufllcientflexibility to allow sliding action through container tube 1, is sumciently rigid to maintain an excellent action in manipulating the valve device oiwhich it is a part.

The novel" metal'cone cap I! performs two functions, to wit: Itextends substantially into the ends ofthe double springs, affording an excellent bearing'iorsaid springs, and the pressure of the springs on the cone causesthe cone to press or clamp'jupon'the yieldable washer ll thereby sealing tube I against any back-flow of the oil through tube 1. This produces a very efficient construction, among the Lother advantages of myfdevice, such as the central po-' sitioning or the lever handle over the fixed handie, and the nearness o! the cut-off valve to the discharge end of the spout, involving a great saving in oil from being wastedwhen the operator discontinues using the oil can. 7

While I have described the preferred embodiment oi! my invention and illustrated the same in the accompanying 'drawing, certain I minor changes oralterations may "appear to one skilled in the art to'which this invention relates,'during the extensive manuiactureof the same, and I, therefore, reservetheright to make such alterations or changes as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1; Ina device ,of the class described, the combination'with a container-provided with a spout, of a substantial-Y-shape bracketprovided with feet engaging said spout, said V-shape bracket being provided with any eye on its outer end, a containertube within said on, said container and provided with a shoulder, a yieldable washer tube extending into said spout, valve means within said spout and including a wire, said wire extending through said container tube and beyond its outer end, and manually operated meansconnected to said spout and movably connected to the outer end of said wire.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with 'a container provided with a spout, said spout comprising an inner long unit and an outer short unit,1of an externally threaded .cou-

pling on the contiguous ends of said inner and outer units, said coupling provided with a passage ing on said cone washer, a wire extending through said container tube, said wire provided on its inner end with a valve head, said valve head normally seated against the valve seat of said C011? pling, an inner and an outer coil spring around said wire, the outer ends of said springs bearing against said valve head and the inner ends. of

said springs jbearing against and seated upon saidmetal cone cap, said wire extending beyond the outer end of said container tube, and manually operated means connected to the outer extended end of said wire, substantially as shown and described. l

'3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a container provided with a spout, of an outlet valve device in said spout and including a hollow cone cap, said outlet valve device also including springs bearing against saidtcone cap, a container tube extending into said spout extending into said cone cap and bearing against a portion of said'shoulder whereby the tube is sealedv against back-flow of oil, and manually operated means extending through said containing through said container tube, washer, and cap.

and connected at its inner end to said valve head, and spring means on said wire and pressing directly upon said valve head and cap.

JOHN B. SWAN. 

